Mod A – “The Great Gatsby” & “Sonnets From The Portuguese”

Resource Description

MODULE A: “THE GREAT GATSBY” AND “SONNETS FROM THE PORTUGUESE”

Introduction:
Through the exploration of intertextual perspectives, audiences are able to perceive the ramifications of societal interactions and contextual values. These values serve as either a reflection or subversion of the writer’s perception. Composed during the Victorian era, Elizabeth Barret-Browning’s (EBB) Sonnets from the Portuguese encapsulate the notion of authentic love, through expression of a female subverting her traditional social constructs. Conversely, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby characterizes “The Jazz Age” as an era of erratic, reckless societal behaviour, devoid of ethics and values, and thus driven by the superficial American Dream. Despite prevailing perspectives, both texts serve as a vessel for the exploration of intertextual perspectives, revealing the relationship between key values, such as idealised love, materialism and spirituality, through a unique contextual lens.